Discover what makes these waterside cities better than most. While their pristine waterfront location sets them apart from other urban areas, their cultural, economic, and recreational characteristics also contribute to their popularity.

These rankings are from Chicago Line Cruises' world rankings which are based on a city's Mercer Quality of Life Ranking (rankings based on political, economic, environmental, health, education, and transportation factors), Euromonitor Ranking (rankings based on tourist traffic), Numbeo Basket of Goods (the total amount for a pair of jeans, bottle of water, movie ticket, and a kilometer taxi ride), as well as cultural elements like arts and architecture, music, nature, sports, and dining.

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